Combined rod grip and slip support



Jan. 4, 1927. 1,613,439

H. J. BYERS COMBINED ROD GRIP AND.SLIP SUPPORT Filed Dec. 23. 1924 2 Sheets-611a 1 Jan.

' H. J. BYERS COMBINED ROD GRIP AND SLIP SUPPORT Filed Dec. 23. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 4, 1927.

UNITED STATES HARRY J. BYERS, OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS.

COMBINED RGD GRIP AND SLIP S'UlEPORT.

Application filed December 23, 1924. Serial No. 257,769.

My invention relates to an improved means to be employed in the pumping of wells for gripping the rods during the pumping operation, and also adapted to re ceive the slips and support the pipe during the operation of removing the rods from the well or inserting them therein.

It is an object of my invention to provide a device which may be employed in connection with the walking beam and to act as an adjuster in gripping the polish rod of the pump. It is desired that this device be eas ily adjustable to grip the polish rod firmly atany desired point.

Another object is to provide a rod or gripping means which will also be adapted to support the sucker rod during the operation of unscrewing or screwing up the joints while the rod is being withdrawn or inserted into the well. It is also desired to form a gripping means for rods in connection with the device which will be simple in construction and not liable to be loosened or lost in the well. These and other objects and advantages will more clearly appear from the description which follows.

Referring to the drawing herewith Fig. 1 is a broken side elevation of a pump operat ing means showing my invention employed thereon. Fig. 2 is a similar elevation taken directly in front of the walking beam. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail. of the means for supporting the device while the rods are being handled. Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the plane t4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the plane 55 of Fig. 6 showing one slip and one bushing also in section. Fig. 6 is a top plan view of my attachment, and Fig. 7 is a side elevation of one of the slips employed with my device. Like numerals of reference are employed to designate like parts in all the views.

In Figs. 1 and 2 I have shown a pump, the polish rod 1 of which is shown as extending downwardly through a stuffing box 2 in the upper end of the tubing 3. There is a lateral drainage pipe 1 upon the upper end of the tubing, by means of which the fluid may be conducted to any container therefor not shown. The pump rod is adapted to be reciprocated through the usual standard pumping equipment, including a walking beam 5 supported upon the post 6 for rocking movement within the bearing 7 on said post. The forward end of the walking beam furnishes a support for the cable 8 by means of which the said beam is connected with my improved plate 9. The cable is of the ordinary wire cable construction and is looped over the forward end of the walking beam and secured in place thereon by an attaching plate 10 which clamps the cable within a forward groove or notch in said walking beam.

The plate 9, constituting the essential element in my improvement, comprises a flat tened plate or block of hardened metal shaped as shown in Fig. 6, being curved at 10 upon one edge, and flattened at 11 on the opposite edge. formed with circular openings 12 therein, said openings being slightly larger than the slot or mouth 13 thereof, opening at each end of the plate.

As shown particularly in Fig. 3, the open ings 12 are tapered upwardly, and I contemplate employing bushings 14 tapered to fit within said openings on their outer diameter, but having an opening 15 therethrough of uniform diameter throughout. The ends of the cable 8 are adapted to be extended downwardly through the openings 15 in each of the bushings 14 and secured in place thereon. This may be done by spreading the end of the cable and soldering it in position as is customary where cables are thus secured within openings in the pumping equipment. It will thus be noted that when the weightof the plate 9 is supported upon the cables, the bushings 14 will be held firmly in place. hen it is desired to remove the plate from the supporting cable, this may be done by lowering the cable to rest the plate upon said support and tapping the bushings 1 1 so as to drive them downwardly out of the openings 12 until they may be moved outwardly through the mouth 13 of the said opening.

Centrallyof the plate 10 and between the two openings 12, is a downwardly tapered opening 16 which forms a seat for pipe engaging slips 17. This opening is connected by a slot 18 with a side 11 of the plate. This opening 18 is intended to be large enough to allow the passage therethrough of tubing of ordinary s ze. The tapered seat 16 is not exactly circular, but has on opposite sides radial extensions 19 thereon which form a mortice wider at its upper end and tapered downwardly. As will be noted in Fig. 6, this mortice provides a shoulder 20 on each side thereof, and this shoulder tapers The ends of the plate are inwardly so that the slip 17 which is shaped to lit thereon is allowed to move downwardly a limited distance. It is contemplated that the size of the mortice will be sufiicient to allow the movement of the slip downwardly to a point flush with the bot-tom surface of the plate 10. This will allow the slip to adjust itself to the pipe or rod which is to be gripped, but will prevent its passing downwardly through the opening 16 so that it might be lost in the well.

The slips 1? are toothed on their inner faces, shown at El, said teeth being direct ed upwardly to better engage the pipe or rods which are to be supported. They are provided with reys or tenons 22 on their outer faces to fit within the mortices 1 9 in the plate.

lVhen it is desired to use this plate to support the rods while the joints thereolj are being unscrewed or screwed up during the handling of said rods, I have provided a supporting structure therefor which may be clamped about the upper end of the tubing 3, as shown particularly in Fig. This structure comprises two upwardly extending arms 24:, the ends of which are tapered at 25 to lit within the openings 12 in the plate. The ends are threaded to receive a clamping nut 26 by means of which the arm may be firmly clamped within the said openings, and thus firmly supported. The lower ends of the arms 24: are bent inwardly and curved to fit about the tubing The ends are provided with an opening to receive clamping bolts 27, as shown best in Fig. 4. These bolts are passed through the opposite arms, and

when drawn firmly into position will clamp the supporting structure firmly to the tube.

The supporting device thus formed may be adjusted vertically upon the tubing to the exact point desired. When thus supported, the opening 16 is directly above the upper end of the tubing, and the rods 1 will pass therethrough. It is desired that several different sets of slips 17 may be used with this device. These slips will be of uniform outer diameter, but will be of varying thickness so as to make it possible to seize and hold rods or pipe of different diameters. When the rods have'been raised to the desired point to expose a joint which is to be unscrewed, the slips 17 are inserted within the seat- 16 and the rod will thus be gripped and held in the usual manner. lVhen it is desired to release the rods, the rod will be engaged above the slips by the usual rod elevator, and when the rod is drawn upwardly the slips will automatically release their hold upon the rod and may be removed or held in raised position until the next desired joint in the rod is brought into position, and the slips may be then again inserted to hold the pipe. This operation will be repeated in the usual way to entirely remove the rods from the well. When the rods are again inserted, the operation will be reversed, the action of the slips being however the same.

When the well is being pumped the plate will be secured upon the cable in the manner previously described, and the weight of the rod and the fluid being pumped, will tend always to draw the polish rod downwardly. It therefore the plate 9 is dropped downwardly over the polish rod to the desired point, the slips 1'? adapted to grip the polish rod may be lowered into position about the rod, and when the plate has been drawn upwardly by means of the walking beam the rod will be firmly gripped and the pumping operation may proceed. It is obvious that this type of adjuster or rod gripping device may be adjusted to the exact height upon the polish rod that is desired. Furthermore, the position of the plate upon the rod may be quickly changed, or the plate may be entirely removed with very little repair and without the use of complicated equipment.

The advantages of the gripping device lie in the fact that it is adapted for use in gripping the rod either in the pumping operation, or while the rods are being handled in introducing them into, or removing them from the well. It is simple and economical in its construction and cannot easily be broken in use. Further objects and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art without further description. What I claim as new, and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A quickly detachable adjuster for polish rods comprising a plate having upwardly tapered openings in each end and a downwardly tapered opening centrally thereof, with slots connected with said openings, said end openings adapted to receive cable bushings or supporting rods, and toothed rodengaging slips removably fitting in said central opening adapted to hold said polish rod in any vertically adjusted position in the manner and for the purposes described.

2. In a device of the character described,

a plate having circular upwardly tapered openings at each end and a circular downwardly tapered opening centrally thereof, bushings :trusto-conical on their outer faces to fit said end openings, said end and central openings having slots communicating therewith. rod engaging slip jaws in said central opening, said slip jaws having a downwardly-tapered morticed connection with said seat, in the manner described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto atlix my signature this 5th day of December, A. D. 1924.

HARRY J. BYERS. 

